WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH
101 CAPITAL WAY NORTH NO 200, OLYMPIA, WA 98501 www.wacommunityhealth.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE MISSION OF WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH IS TO STRENGTHEN AND ADVOCATE FOR WASHINGTON'S COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS (CHCS) AS THEY BUILD HEALTHCARE ACCESS, INNOVATION, AND VALUE. THE ASSOCIATION PROVIDES TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SUPPORT IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: WORKFORCE, HEALTH EQUITY, OUTREACH & ENROLLMENT, DATA, CLINICAL, QI, ORAL HEALTH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND POLICY/ADVOCACY. THE ASSOCIATION'S WORK IS GOVERNED BY ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND VARIOUS COMMITTEES COMPRISED OF CHC STAFF.

TO STRENGTHEN AND ADVOCATE FOR WASHINGTON'S COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS TO BUILD HEALTHCARE ACCESS.

WORKFORCE AND HEALTHCARE APPRENTICESHIPSTHE ASSOCIATION FACILITATES A BI-MONTHLY WORKFORCE MEETING WITH A COMMITTEE APPRISED OF MAINLY HR PROFESSIONALS AND ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP REPRESENTING OUR CHC PARTNERS. THE PURPOSE OF THE WORKFORCE COMMITTEE IS TO PROVIDE FIELD UPDATES, SOLICIT STRATEGIC GUIDANCE, AND PROMOTE PEER LEARNING FOR CURRENT WORKFORCE INITIATIVES THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT CHC RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND DEVELOPMENT.IN THE FISCAL YEAR, THE ASSOCIATION TRAINED CHCS ON HR METRICS (TENURE, TIME TO FILL, PROJECTED VACANCIES) AND THE COLLECTION PROCESS IN THE PERIOD, RESULTING IN A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF THESE DATA POINTS IN LATE 2019 TO INFORM STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND FUTURE TRAINING DEVELOPMENT. AN AGGREGATED REPORT WAS RELEASED TO THE COMMITTEE AND BOARD. OTHER TRAINING AND PEER LEARNING TOPICS INCLUDED AUTO-HPSA, BEST PRACTICES FOR STAFF ONBOARDING, ON-SITE EMPLOYER PERKS, RESIDENCY PROGRAMS, IMPLICIT BIAS, LOAN REPAYMENT, AND RECRUITING MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS AND DENTAL ASSISTANTS.THE ASSOCIATION ADMINISTERED TWO REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS IN MEDICAL ASSISTING AND DENTAL ASSISTING THROUGH MARCH 2020. FROM APRIL 1, 2019 MARCH 31, 2020, THERE WERE 14 ACTIVE MEDICAL ASSISTANT APPRENTICESHIP COHORTS, 97 APPRENTICES COMPLETED THE YEAR-LONG PROGRAM IN THIS PERIOD, AND 186 APPRENTICES WERE ENROLLED. IN THIS PERIOD, THERE WERE 2 ACTIVE DENTAL ASSISTING COHORTS. THE MEDICAL ASSISTING APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM HAS A COMPLETION RATE OF 86.5% WITH 319 STUDENTS GRADUATED OR ON TRACK TO GRADUATE SINCE INCEPTION. THE MA PROGRAM HAS AN OVERALL CERTIFICATION EXAM PASS RATE OF 99% AS OF 2019.THE YEAR 2019-2020 SAW EXPANDED PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO INCREASE COLLEGE CREDIT OPPORTUNITY FOR APPRENTICES, AND WITH A STATE ACCOUNTABLE COMMUNITY OF HEALTH, BRINGING GUIDANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER PROFESSIONAL APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. THE ASSOCIATION'S HEALTHCARE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED NATION-WIDE THROUGH SEVERAL PARTNERSHIPS AND GRANT OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIES' RAISE GRANT RECIPIENT - PROVIDING STATEWIDE EXPANSION OF APPRENTICESHIP IN NON-TRADITIONAL TRADES.

PRACTICE TRANSFORMATIONTHE ASSOCIATION FACILITATES WORK WITH FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS TO PROVIDE COACHING SUPPORT AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (QI) STAFF AND CLINICAL CARE TEAMS. ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2020 INCLUDED:1) FACILITATING 21 TRAINING EVENTS TO WASHINGTON HEALTH CENTERS TO PROVIDE PEER-LEARNING, NETWORKING, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN: SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER CARE APPROACHES, QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (HYPERTENSION, DIABETES, CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION COMBO 10), TEAM-BASED CARE, BLOOD PRESSURE SELF MANAGEMENT AND TRAIN THE TRAINER MODEL, COMMUNICABLE DISEASE OUTBREAKS AND PHARMACY OPERATIONS;2) WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO ADMINISTER AND MANAGE A COMPETITIVE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC) GRANT OPPORTUNITY TO DECREASE DIABETES AND HYPERTENSION;3) PARTICIPATING IN THE STATE'S CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND DIABETES NETWORK LEADERSHIP TEAM;4) PEER-LINKING AND RESOURCE BROKERING AROUND HYPERTENSION, DIABETES, CLINICAL WORKFLOWS, AND OTHER TOPICS REQUESTED BY THE FQHCS; 5) PARTNERING WITH THE WASHINGTON PHARMACY ASSOCIATION TO PROVIDE ONLINE DIABETES EDUCATION FOR PHARMACISTS; 6) PROVIDING REGULAR 1:1 PATIENT CENTER MEDICAL HOME (PCMH) COACHING SUPPORT TO TWO HEALTH CENTERS AND AD HOC PCMH SUPPORT PER HEALTH CENTER REQUEST; AND7) WORKING WITH THE WASHINGTON COUNCIL FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN A JOINT LEARNING COLLABORATIVE, ATTENDING ONE IN PERSON MEETING IN THE PERIOD TO DISCUSS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTEGRATION APPROACHES, PROGRESS ON ADVANCING VALUE BASED PAYMENT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE STRATEGIES.

POLICY AND ADVOCACYIN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, THE ASSOCIATION'S POLICY AND ADVOCACY TEAM HAS CONTINUED TO ADVOCATE FOR THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER FUND AND THE PROTECTION OF WASHINGTON'S HEALTHCARE SAFETY NET SYSTEM, PASSED CAPITAL BUDGETS THAT EXPAND ACCESS TO DENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, CREATED AN "INTEGRATED TREATMENT CREDENTIAL" FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT SPECIALISTS, ADDED ADDITIONAL DEDICATED LOAN REPAYMENT REVENUE FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONS, AND PROVIDED CONSISTENT AND CONSIDERABLE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS IN UNDERSTANDING AND ACCESSING FEDERAL AND STATE COVID-19 RESOURCES FOR REIMBURSEMENT, TELEHEALTH IMPLEMENTATION, TESTING, AND FISCAL RELIEF.

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